How can I flatten out my forehand?

Question

So right now I have use a extreme western grip on my forehand and i can generate a crazy amount of spin but not much power. Most of my shots barely hit inside no-mans-land (middle of baseline and service line) but the top spin can usually force an opponent back a meter or so behind the service line. So my problem right now is that I cant really use my forehand to hit winners, lobs, or easy balls.

I've tried using a semi-western and continental grip on my forhand but even so, I still brush way too much. I know that I need to plow through with my racquet before, during and after contact and I can do it fine just swinging my racquet. But as soon as I hit the ball, it's back to top spin. I've been working with 3 coaches for the last month or so but I still can seem to make any progress. I can't even seem to self-feed a ball and hit it flat.

Is there any drill that might be able to help me flatten out my forehand?

Answer 1

I also have an extreme western grip, but when I hit flatter shots I roll over to semi-western, and roll my grip a little more if I want to hit a drop shot or "junk slice". You can still hit flat and hard with the western grip, you just seem to have the tendency to just swing upwards no matter what you do, the thing you need to do is keep the racquet steady and hit through the ball without the low to high motion. But, I play with poly mains and crosses and a racquet that requires you to generate all your own pace, and can hit extreme western forehands with a lot of pace and tons of top-spin just inside the baseline, and I play primarily as a baseliner, but I can serve and volley, counterpunch, but usually I sit at the baseline wait for a short ball and crush it. But when my opponents hit junk slice the ball is too low for me to use my normal grip so I have to switch to semi-western or just slice and dice.

Answer 2

A few thousand hits to get result? Are you kidding me! When you know the way, it only takes 10 shots to flatten your shot, guaranteed. You have mastered spin, but flat shots are not very different. You can hit flat shot with any grip, but a semi-western in preferred. First by practicing stopping the racket after making contact of the ball in front of you. Now follow through slowly. Do this a couple of times. Make contact and stop your racket. When you take your racket back, kind of load it the same height as the ball. Unlike a spin shot from low to high. Make sure when you make contact with the ball, the racket head is perpendicular to the ground.



Spin shots require a brushing motion, and a flat shot is just make contact straight on and don't make the follow through motion too dramatic. Make contact, stop, then follow through. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

I was going to tell you to abandon the western grip even before I read your subtext. Jimmy Connors was probably the master of hitting a flat forehand. That damn western grip has too many young tennis players relying too much on top spin. Assuming your used to your grip, nothing you can really do about it. Two choices: Change your grip, or learn to attack the net with your topspin and play angles. Cheers.

Answer 4

the answer is quite simple! I had this problem too, and once you master it, you can switch between playing styles, of high spin, or high power. The answer lies in where you strike the ball! if you tend to hit the ball close to you, as in, close to your side of the court (all on your right side), you will tend to spin more, as when you strike the ball, your racquet is having an upward motion. If you strike the ball further away however, as in, more forward, or closer to the net, your racquet will have a larger forward vector, and so you will have less spin, and more power. Mind you, I am assuming you are using a semi western grip now, but positioning of where you hit the ball is pivotal in this!

hope that helps!

Answer 5

First, for that flat ball you would want to switch to semi-western. However, you will have to hit a many balls before you get significant results. Make sure to hit through the ball more instead of brushing like you had to do with the western grip. Or just keep your western grip if you are more comfortable and make contact as far as your arm can reach and swing through instead of up.

Answer 6

well i hit my forehand flat down the line and sometimes cross court to keep it low

just dnt brush up on the ball as much

change ur stroke sorta

sharapova and azarenka do a nice job on that

Answer 7

Watch Ivanovic on youtube slow motion ;)